About

Overview

Engaging and student-friendly, An Overview of the Human Services is designed for undergraduates just beginning to study the field of human services. Because the field encompasses many career opportunities, skills, client populations, and job duties, this text not only introduces students to the field, but also helps them to decide which specialty is right for them. With more than 14 years of teaching experience in the renowned human service program at California State University, Fullerton, and experience as a clinical psychotherapist in a variety of human service agencies, author Kristi Kanel is well versed in current trends in human services and knows how to motivate students to learn and appreciate the material. An Overview of the Human Services provides a thorough history of the field; a detailed overview of human services agencies, jobs, workers, and populations served; a clear analysis of the major theories of causality; and helpful special chapters on important topics, such as ethics and stress management. At the same time, the book moves beyond lecture-style instruction, bringing the concepts to life and actively engaging students in the subject matter via a wide range of special features.

Features and Benefits

Critical Thinking/Self-Reflection boxes within each chapter serve as catalysts for students to explore their own values and emotional and cognitive reactions to the topics under consideration.

True Stories from Human Services Workers boxes within each chapter contain narratives of true experiences of human services workers in the field, which enable students to visualize the topics under consideration in a real-world context.

Suggested Applied Activities at the end of each chapter bring chapter concepts to life and help students to personalize what they have read by asking them to reflect on their own lives, role play with other students, and perform activities outside of class.

A Case Presentation and an Exit Quiz at the end of each chapter provide students with further opportunities to see chapter concepts played out in a real world context.

The Appendix: Human Service Career Inventory consists of 15 questions designed to aid students in narrowing their focus and formulating their educational and career goals.

Meet the Author

Author Bio

Kristi Kanel

Kristi Kanel (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is a Full Professor at California State University, Fullerton in the Department of Human Services where she has been teaching for over 31 years. She is the author of A GUIDE TO CRISIS INTERVENTION, 5th Edition; HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY TO LATINOS, 2nd Edition; and AN OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN SERVICES, 2nd Edition (with Melanie Horn-Mallers). Dr. Kanel was a practicing psychotherapist for over 25 years. Her experience as a counselor includes working at two non-profit agencies (the Anaheim Free Clinic and a battered woman's shelter), a public agency, a managed care organization, and in private practice where she worked with a multitude of client populations, specializing in trauma. Her most recent research has focused on the mental health needs and interventions for the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Other research includes mental health needs of Latinos and crisis intervention practices.

Kristi Kanel (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is a Full Professor at California State University, Fullerton in the Department of Human Services where she has been teaching for over 31 years. She is the author of A GUIDE TO CRISIS INTERVENTION, 5th Edition; HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY TO LATINOS, 2nd Edition; and AN OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN SERVICES, 2nd Edition (with Melanie Horn-Mallers). Dr. Kanel was a practicing psychotherapist for over 25 years. Her experience as a counselor includes working at two non-profit agencies (the Anaheim Free Clinic and a battered woman's shelter), a public agency, a managed care organization, and in private practice where she worked with a multitude of client populations, specializing in trauma. Her most recent research has focused on the mental health needs and interventions for the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Other research includes mental health needs of Latinos and crisis intervention practices.